October 15, 2010

In September of 2010, Digital Spy interviewed Cycle 15‘s Terra White following her elimination and appearance on the show. Here is the text from the interview (written and posted by Lara Martin, News Editor):

Terra (‘America’s Next Top Model’)

It’s never fun to be eliminated, but it must be especially difficult when it is out of the blue. After being given a new chopped hairstyle on Wednesday night’s makeover episode of America’s Next Top Model, Texan-born Terra was sent home by Miss J and Jay mid-episode. We caught up with her to chat about the experience and competing with sister (and current contestant) Chris…

What were you thinking when you found out there would be a surprise elimination?
“I just thought that it wasn’t time and they didn’t give me a chance to show what I had after the makeover, so I didn’t think it was the proper time.”

You didn’t seem to like the makeover…
“I think I was more upset because they cut off all my hair and then eliminated me! It was like, what was the purpose of even taking the time and effort to do that and then not giving me a chance to show what I could do with it?”

Have you kept the new look?
“Yes (laughs). There’s not much you can do with it! There’s not much in the back. I just try to do what I can with it and I get a lot of compliments on it, actually… Being an African-American woman, we are more attached to our hair because it takes a little bit more to keep it up and take care of it, and I’d gotten to the point where I was in love with the texture, the color I had on it, the length that it was. It was just perfect for me, so all of a sudden to have it cut off with no warning was a little bit more hurtful for me maybe, than it would have been for anybody else.”

It probably didn’t help that your sister got hair extensions…
“Yeah! She was walking around at the house saying, ‘I got long hair!’ I was like, ‘Thanks Chris!'”

Was it difficult competing against your sister when you knew that one of you would have to go home over the other at some stage?
“No, it didn’t make it more difficult because the whole time we had the same mindset that we would be the last two and if you win, I know you will help me, and if I win, I know I will help you. It wasn’t competition, it was more like encouragement.”

How will she cope in the house without you?
“She’s going to be fine. She knows that I’m cheering for her and although I’m not there with her physically, I’m there spiritually and mentally.”

How did you find the bullying photoshoot from last week? It seemed to upset a few of the girls…
“A lot of the girls actually cried at that photoshoot. Tyra was encouraging us to be empowered, to focus away from that. I was empowering myself, getting ready to show that that isn’t me anymore and then when I was on the set, the photographer said to go back to that moment. It was kind of sad having to put yourself in that moment and get that look of sadness, so it was a little bit hard.”

Did you bond with any of the other girls?
“I love Kendal. She’s so sweet. We’re around the same age so we bonded quickly; we have the same mentality and went through the same things, so we bonded very well.”

How was it living in that amazing house?!
“I can’t really describe it! Especially the view from where we stayed on the beach. It was ridiculous! So beautiful!”

How was it working alongside Tyra?
“She is very energetic. How you see her on TV is how she is in person. She’s not putting on a front; she’s very energetic, excited and eager, and she’s serious and excited about everything that she does. That’s just her.”

You applied for the show a few times before. How did it feel to finally get your chance?
“It proved to me and anybody else out there that you can’t give up. It might not be your time because God has other things that he wants you to complete until your time does come. The other times that I tried out, it wasn’t my time and I had other things I needed to complete first. The first times, I don’t feel I was mature enough and I wasn’t myself; I was kind of acting, shy and scared, so I needed to come into myself.”

Would you do anything differently if you could do the show again?
“No, there is nothing I would do differently because I was myself throughout the whole time. I wasn’t different. I didn’t do anything that I’m ashamed of. I was me the entire time.”

What was the best bit of the experience?
“The whole experience. There really wasn’t a best part, the whole experience itself is special. Just to be able to be picked for the season is amazing in itself, so I can’t pick anything out of the whole thing because the whole thing was so good!”

Will you keep modeling?
“Yes, and I’ll do the best I can and exhaust all of my outlets. If it takes off I will do everything I can with it and let it take me as far as it takes me. Once it is over and I can’t do anything more, or if it doesn’t take off for me, then I have a degree in health so I will go ahead and teach with my degree.”